The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-01-07


ing the influence aud effect vi THESE waterways
In the developnene or our resources would
prove revelation even to many OF our own peo-
pie. Accurate statistics OF tue commerce Of our
rivers and lake ports collected and published in
form for general distribution, would prove use
full in demonstrating the utility OF the Improve
ments desired. would therefore recommend
that the river commission be authorized TO incur
the expense necessary for the collection OF such
statistics, the same TO be reported annually to
the governor. proper expression OF this leg
islature addressed 20 congress respecting needed
appropriations for our waterways, would doubt
less aid our representatives In that body in their
efforts to secure the recognitton demanded
In response to manifest demand Of tbe pub
lie interest and the popcar viii, the legislature
of 1885 inaugurated a new policy of state con-
troll OF railway and warehouse amusement. The
laws enacted for the supervision and regulation
of these interests have been on trial for the past
two wears, and the results accom- Wished there
under are submitted to Won byrshe beard Of
commissioners, who we're spectacle yhs<esd with
The work of the commission hch been lsbori-
GUS difficult, in many OF its detshts extremity
delicate but In all respects most ereeient. show
ing moro substantial results thapn auid reason-
ably have been expected from thxk .dminfstra-
ton Of laws necessarily Imperfect laihssmuch as
defect in the law for -the rezulatfnuof iziifoad
companies" was the limited powele listed ia the
commission. This often proved { fssmhaxTnss-
1ssa but the the es they eSaa 20
quest and in exceptional caser sromulgate
theil Judgment in an order" 20 the rail.
read companies, but couplfance, rs q .uie,
could be obtained only by the voiun-
tary action of the corporations them
selves, It Is therefore oause for congratnla-
tion that 30 much has been realized Ia the way
of relief Briefly outlined, there has been Sc
cured under this law, through the agelcy OF tho
commission, free and open market with the
right Of unrestricted shipment Tor grain on
every line of railway In the state save one:
material reduction on all the roads Of rates
charged for the transportation OF Rrsfn, i've
stock lumber, wood and general farm Products,
amounting In the aggregate 20 oyer9ne million
dollars per annum: o general redwfion Of All
passenger tariffs to q maximum cha Sc Of three
cents per mile, and virtual abof zion " the
odious transit system, by an elimination OF It's
Objectionable and burdensome features
ThesR results have been reached through no
patient persistent and often prolonged enortst III
the commission. involving an exhaustive inves-
tigation of the subject Of railway transportation
in its many phases aud to It's remosest detail
and elaborate illustration BY comparison OF fts
relative cost as between dinerent coupenfes
under varied and diverse conditioua The faetl
developed by this research fortfnrd the commits
sion In the presentation of its Q hands upun tina
comps nies and secured concessions which otke rs
wise It would hardly have been possible 70 OBJ
tain. In hut one instance has the oommissicu
had to resort to the courts 70 cnforce It's De-
mands. and In this case the lower court Pas de-
cided In favor Of the law. The osuse 70 now
pending In the supreme coure.
Minnesota has now fairly inaugurated pol